Russia's Putin congratulates new British PM Johnson - Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated new British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday and wished him success in his new role, the Kremlin said in a statement,

Ties between the two countries have been strained since the poisoning of a former Russian spy on British soil.

"It would be in the interests of our countries and peoples to develop relations in various spheres," the Kremlin cited Putin as saying in his letter to Johnson.